Tonight, the Tallahassee City Commission took steps toward creating a public safety campus for the community. Commissioners unanimously voted to authorize City of Tallahassee staff to begin the Request for Proposal (RFP) process to acquire real estate for the new campus. The prospective location for the future public safety campus was identified as roughly 15 acres on the Southside along the South Monroe Street and Orange Avenue corridor.

The vision is for the campus to serve as a community gathering place with amenities like basketball courts and meeting rooms, while also housing the headquarters for the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD). The concept for the campus will be developed with input from the community.

“The creation of a public safety campus is a key component of our community oriented policing philosophy,” Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo said. “With a full-service facility, our police officers can build stronger bonds with residents, raising the sense of security in the community as we all work together to reduce crime.”

Public safety continues to be a top priority of the Commission. Since 2015, TPD, with support from the Commission, has implemented strategies aimed at reducing crime, including budgeting for 55 new officers, the establishment of the Public Safety Collective, a renewed focus on community policing and enhanced neighborhood partnerships. TPD’s five-year strategy also includes a new facility that would allow the department to meet the current and future strategic and operational needs of the community. With an initial estimate of approximately $53 million, the campus would have a positive impact on the area’s economic growth. At its annual retreat in January, Commissioners directed staff to explore options for the future public safety campus.

The Tallahassee Police Department has conducted operations from the headquarters on Seventh Avenue since 1972. Over the past several decades, space constraints to support modern public safety services have continued to mount within the current building, which was originally designed for other purposes. The department has grown considerably in terms of the number of employees and the variety of services it offers to the community since moving into the current facility. During the evaluation of TPD’s current headquarters, it was identified that the future home for TPD needed to serve a much broader purpose.

For more information about the Tallahassee City Commission, including future meeting dates and agendas, please visit Talgov.com. To learn more about the 2018 Priorities, visit Talgov.com.